With no let-up in the students’ indefinite strike against the appointment of actor-turned-BJP leader Gajendra Chauhan as chairman of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), the Information & Broadcasting (I & B) Ministry has decided to hold fresh parleys with the agitating students in a bid to break the impasse.
The invitation was relayed through the person of FTII Director Prashant Pathrabe after the three-member I & B Ministry team submitted its report on the causes of the agitation to the government, said students.
Earlier efforts in July to hold fruitful dialogue with the Ministry had come to naught with a 10-member delegation led by Girish Kasaravalli noting the alleged intransigence of the government to revoke the appointments of Mr. Chauhan and dissolve the FTII Governing Council, four of whose members are Sangh Parivar propagandists.
“Since the invite was orally conveyed to the Director by the I & B Minister of State Rajyavardhan Rathore, there is some confusion as to the nature of issues that will be discussed in this fresh round of talks. We are awaiting clarity on this,” said Harishankar Nachimuthu, president, FTII Students’ Association (FSA).
Even after 85 days of strike, support for the students’ agitation continued to flow in from unusual quarters with the kin of legendary Indian Nationalist leader Gopal Krishna Gokhale, whom Mahatma Gandhi regarded as his political ‘Guru’, batting strongly for Mr. Chauhan’s removal.
Sunil Gokhale, a city-based lawyer and a great grandson of Gopal Krishna Gokhale, has filed a nine-page written complaint addressed to the FTII, seeking information on the opaque selection procedures used by the Ministry to appoint people with “dubious creative credentials” like Mr. Chauhan as Chairman and nominate candidates (four of whom are Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh propagandists) to the FTII governing council.
“The students are suffering heavily as a result of this deadlock. They have been branded with several undeserved labels while no concrete effort has been made to understand their problems. The object of my complaint is to get a reply from the FTII Society in order to understand the government’s thought processes behind the selection of such candidates,” said Mr. Gokhale, remarking that his action was independent of any request on the students’ behalf.
FTII Limbo
Gajendra Chauhan, an actor-turned-politician, was appointed as the chairman of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) on June 9, 2015. His appointment triggered an >indefinite strike by students of the institute on June 12.
Who is Chauhan?
Mr. Chauhan is best known as 'Yudhisthira' in the Mahabharata TV series aired on television in 1988-90. He has been associated with BJP for over two decades but formally joined the party in 2004.
Why protest?
Students of FTII have questioned Mr. Chauhan's body of work and "creative credentials." The students doubt if Mr. Chauhan can fit in the shoes of predecessors like R.K. Laxman, Syam Benegal, Girish Karnad and U.R. Ananthamurthy.
Political vendetta?
Students claim that Mr. Chauhan's appointment is an attempt of the ruling party to foist its right-wing agenda upon the Institute.
Supporters
Besides, prominent film personalities, All India Students' Association (AISA), the Kolkata-based Satyajit Ray Film Institute, and students at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) are all coming out strongly in support of the striking students.
If they don't want you, they don't want you. Pushing for the chairmanship is getting you no where. Let self pride play a role and retire
- >Rishi Kapoor
FTII needs to be in safe hands. Students need somebody who they can trust and look up to. It's their future which is at stake here.
>- Rajkumar Rao
This is something we should be talking about and by this we will clearly know that it is a mistake and that he has no credentials...If I would have been in place of Chauhan and I would have seen that my fraternity does not want me, I would have withdrawn.
>- Amol Palekar
Don't think what the students are asking for is illogical, don't think they are asking for the moon. They are just asking for a fair chance, a fair opportunity, correct faculty, correct syllabus.
- Ranbir Kapoor
I have neither been approached by students nor by authorities. But being an alumnus of this institute to which I owe my film career, I am more than willing to step in and sort out matters if given the chance to do so.
- >Shatrughan Sinha
Prominent chairmen
Anwar Jamal Kidwai (1974 - 1977)
First chairman, founder of Mass Communication Research centre at Jamia Millia Islamia.
>R.K. Laxman (1977- 1980)
Legendary cartoonist, Padma Bhushan, Vibhushan. Known for creating the character "Common Man".
> Shyam Benegal (1981 - 1983) (1989 - 1992)
Known for pioneering parallel cinema. Recipient of Dadasaheb Phalke Award among others.
> Mahesh Bhatt (1995- 1998)
Award-winning director, screenwriter, producer in mainstream Hindi cinema.
>U.R. Ananthamurthy (2005-2008) (2008-2011)
Eminent author, Padma Bhushan. Pioneered Navya movement in Kannada language.